March 11, 2021: SOAP #4116:  Deuteronomy 16-18; Psalm 38; Galatians 2

SCRIPTURE:  Galatians (NIV) 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

OBSERVATION:  As I have grown in understanding God’s plan for His people, this verse combines important issues.  It ties the truth of my old life to the truth of Jesus’ crucifixion.  And it ties the truth of my present life to the truth of Jesus’ resurrected life. 

Now, by faith, I share the life of Jesus.  It is an active life, a daily life, a life of loving the Heavenly Father and serving others.  It is a life of constant relationship, as Jesus had with His Father.  

And there is another thing I share with Jesus; I share His history!  He was crucified, buried, and risen.  That is now my history!  I have been crucified with Christ!  He is not crucified with me as I go through the troubles of life.  No. I am crucified with Him!   The crucifixion of Jesus is past; now I live with Him; He lives His resurrected life in me! 

APPLICATION:  It is when I forget that I have been crucified with Christ that I have trouble with temptation.  Satan tries to call the old Leon back to life.  But as I am alive in Jesus, Satan’s call to the old Leon falls not on deaf ears, but on dead ears! 

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, you knew exactly what would be needed for me to live in victory.  I needed my sins forgiven by the blood of Jesus!  I needed to die to my old life and allow the Holy Spirit to live in me as He did in Jesus.  Amen. 

Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!